Harnessing the NEON data revolution to advance open environmental science with a diverse and data-capable community

It is a critical time to reflect on the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) science to date as well as envision what research can be done right now with NEON (and other) data and what training is needed to enable a diverse user community. NEON became fully operational in May 2019 and has pivoted from planning and construction to operation and maintenance. In this overview, the history of and foundational thinking around NEON are discussed. A framework of open science is described with a discussion of how NEON can be situated as part of a larger data constellation—across existing networks and different suites of ecological measurements and sensors. Next, a synthesis of early NEON science, based on >100 existing publications, funded proposal efforts, and emergent science at the very first NEON Science Summit (hosted by Earth Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder in October 2019) is provided. Key questions that the ecology community will address with NEON data in the next 10 yr are outlined, from understanding drivers of biodiversity across spatial and temporal scales to defining complex feedback mechanisms in human–environmental systems. Last, the essential elements needed to engage and support a diverse and inclusive NEON user community are highlighted: training resources and tools that are openly available, funding for broad community engagement initiatives, and a mechanism to share and advertise those opportunities. NEON users require both the skills to work with NEON data and the ecological or environmental science domain knowledge to understand and interpret them. This paper synthesizes early directions in the community’s use of NEON data, and opportunities for the next 10 yr of NEON operations in emergent science themes, open science best practices, education and training, and community building

The effects of blast-induced traumatic brain injury on two transgenic models of Alzheimer's Disease

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is well known to be a risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease (AD). However, the mechanism by which TBI increases the risk of AD is still poorly understood, and research is greatly needed to explain the long-term effects of TBI. In the current study, we examined the long-term effects of a blast-induced mild TBI (mTBI) on two rat models of AD: APP21 (n=7) and APP+PS1 (n=14). We examined differences among genotype, sex, and condition (blast exposure or no blast exposure). Five months after half of the rats were exposed to a low intensity blast, behavioral assessment occurred. We examined spatial learning, memory, anxiety levels, locomotor activity, willingness to explore, and social motivation through a range of assessments. We hypothesized that the APP21 and APP+PS11rats exposed to a low intensity blast will have lower spatial learning skills, poorer memories, and will show more anxious behaviors than the APP21 and APP+PS1 rats that were not exposed to a blast. Our results showed that rats with a mTBI showed significantly more impaired memory and spatial learning skills, but no anxiety differences were found between our mTBI and the control APP21 and APP+PS1 rats.Includes bibliographical reference

STEM Teaching and Learning Strategies of High School Parents With Homeschool Students

The purpose of this research study was to investigate the teaching and learning strategies used by homeschool parents with high school students. A qualitative case study was used which began with the administration of an open-ended questionnaire to a homeschool community in the southern United States. Twenty-nine parents completed the questionnaire, and 10 of those volunteered to participate in the follow-up procedures, which included interviews, observations, and document collection. Results indicate that parents use a variety of teaching and learning strategies including individualized instruction, mastery learning, self-directed study, collaboration with peers and adults, and application and connection of information